Samantha attends Miss Crampton's Academy, a private school for proper young ladies. Samantha wants to win the gold medal in the speaking contest, but she's worried about Nellie, the poor servant girl who has become her friend. If she can teach Nellie to read, maybe the boys and girls at school will stop calling Nellie "dummy" and "ragbag." Samantha sets up a school in Grandmary's tower room and becomes Nellie's teacher. But Nellie teaches Samantha some very important lessons, too.